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| Your one stop site for UK and International news. |
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| Part of the BBC news 24 site, check out in-depth weather reports, anywhere |
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| Just in case you don’t believe how bad it is, confirm it here! |
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| As the name might imply, find out how stuff works! A fascinating collection of well put together articles with working diagrams, great for kids and adults alike! There are few things not covered here. Ever wondered what really happens in an autopsy? How a fridge works? A nuclear reactor? It’s all in there, go see! The female mind? Ah ok, they haven’t quite worked everything out just yet….. |
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| Check out all your stocks and shares here! Or, if like me you have no shares – it’s a good place just to check out foreign exchange rates. Set the currencies you are interested in and have the latest rates emailed to you daily. Essential knowledge for any traveller – a good day for the pound sterling means you get to have two beers tonight! |
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| Surf-Cam, Mt Maunganui. Check out the beach, where I livein NZ! Gorp at the beach babes, and experience complete control as you pan through 360 degrees at will. Unfortunately though, the zoom isn’t that good! |
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| World Fact Book – find out anything, about anywhere! |
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| UK Government Foreign Office. Indispensable source information on world affairs. Country advice section for up-to-the-minute official recommendations on every destination. Essential for researching your next trip. Select the countries you are interested in, and they will email you whenever updated. |
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| This is a really useful site for anyone looking to save dosh (who isn’t)! Martin Lewis offers completely unbiased advice on everything from the best credit card deals to switching telecom providers. It’s all here! |
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| Check out a satellite image of your home country. A totally fascinating collection of sat images covering the entire globe. You can view images with enhanced features such as river systems, cities or relief and much more. |
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| For people over the age of thirty, Radio 4 has a wide range of interesting and topical programmes, in-depth news reports and top-notch comedy. From the website, you can listen to the one’s you missed out on. |
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| Coffee break? Then settle back and read a few hilarious true stories from this famous site. The Darwin Awards are awarded to people who “improve the human gene pool by removing themselves from it” – people who die in spectacularly stupid ways! |
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| Haven’t heard of Lonely Planet? Where have you been? In my opinion, the best travel guides on the market, covering most countries of the world. Whatever your style – from backpacker or flashpacker to five star luxury – LP offers advice to suit all budgets. They really help you get the most out of your visit. On the shelves in all good book shops. |
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| Got a cool website to include on here? I operate a link exchange programme. Click here to learn more and here for a more varied list of travel related links. |
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| Khao San Road - legendary pit-stop for travellers making their way across the region. Authentic Asia it ain't, fun place to be - definitely. Stock up on cheap knock-off clothing or cd's, organise visas for onward travel, surf the net for cheap and live out your Leonardo Dicaprio fantasies. Or just use as an economical base from which to explore Bangkok. You can even get a full English breakfast at Gullivers, if you must. Most travellers love this place, though lots wouldn't dare admit it. I'll go on record now and say this - I adore it! The street hums with travellers from every corner of the world, every background, every age group. People watching at its best - but I'd admit, three or four days is enough. Check out the link at left to find all you want on Khao San. |
| Farang Magazine - Farang, meaning "white foreigner" in Thai. This magazine is produced free by the Bangkok post, and is available most places around Bangkok. I guess you could say, its the Thai equivalent of TNT magazine. Current issues, travel articles, random traveller interviews, special offers and quite a bit of loutish backpacker stuff (a downside) - always worth a look. Check it out, online. |
| The Man in Seat 61 - an indispensible resource for anyone travelling overland by rail, anywhere. This guy, an ex-british rail manager (don't let that put you off), has endless enthusiasm for his chosen style of travel. His beautiful site list all the information you could wish for - detailed descriptions of the worlds famous rail journeys, costs, timetables - everything! An authority on the Trans Siberian routes especially. Even if your idea of a holiday is sipping Heiniken by the pool on the costa-whatever, check it out - it may inspire you to do something different next year! |
| The Couch Surfing Project - a world wide database of interesting people who are happy to offer a bed to the weary traveller. Very attractive, easy to navigate and most importantly, easily searchable. Couchsurfers all have a viewable profile with photo, and there is a neat verification system offering some security. No-one wants to star in the next Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Unless thats your thing, of course. A really exciting project, none profit making, superbly laid out. I have used it a considerable amount already - have been hosted in Europe and Asia, and hosted UK and NZ. Great idea. |
| Extraordinary Jobs - Online Newsletter devoted to Job Seekers who want a life less ordinary. Articles and contact info to help you get a job in the Adventure Travel Industry. webmaster Kim Davis has been writing very kind words about The Wander Years in her regular blog (much more regular than my journals)!. It is a really interesting site, nicely put together and one I hope will give you all some inspiration! |
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| World Nomads provides global travel insurance technology and marketing services to independent travellers around the world. What makes them unique is the additional services that provide the community with the tools to keep them travelling. They have an intense focus on customer service and strive to harness the knowledge and passion of the unique community to set benchmarks in innovation and continuous improvement. |
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| The WanderYears > useful websites |
| Lonely Planet Thorn Tree – deserves a special mention, as it has been my friend ever since I discovered the internet. You can access it from the main LP site above, or clicking on the tree will take you straight to the “branches”. The Thorn Tree is an online forum where anyone can post up questions on any destination. Thousands of travellers surf this forum 24-7, so there is no better place to get up to the minute information than from the people on the ground. The “branches” are regions of the world, helping you to get straight to the forum that interests you. Find out the latest on acquiring a Russian visa, how the weather is on Ko Samui, a good place to stay in downtown LA or the best eats in Glasgow. Anyone can read the forums, to post up a question you should first register which is quick, simple and free. Any ongoing discussions of interest, have their replies emailed to you automatically by subscribing. |
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| Steve Savage. What a guy! This Aussie adventurer hitch-hiked his way around the US, several times. Via his web blog, kind folk from all over the globe offered a meal and a bed, and this largely determined his route. Eventually he made it to England, where he worked with me as a gamekeeper for a few days (inbetween the drinking). From there, he met the love of his life in Madrid. Today, they are both back in Australia, busily working hard on their latest project - see link below. |
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| Lots of people now use the web to partially or even completely plan their holiday. If your time is limited, it makes an awful lot of sense - why waste valuable fun time in tourist offices - and why pay them all that comission? Quite right - so save yourself a bundle and plan your trip to tropical North Queensland using Steve and Maria's excellent resource - Cairns Unlimited! These guys know the region better than anyone, and as experienced travellers, they know what you need! Their site brings together all these things in once place - thus you begin saving right away - less wear and tear on your mouse. Do it! |